Smartphones banned in French secondary schools from 1 September

The smartphone will have to stay at home. This morning, Édouard Geffray, the Education Minister, confirmed that mobile phones will be banned in upper secondary schools from 1 September. Speaking to Franceinfo, the minister announced the measure:

“The law is currently being drafted because we are awaiting a European Commission decision on the other part of it: banning social media for under-15s (…). The law simply needs to be published over the summer, which is highly likely, at least for this part. So yes, from 1 September, mobile phone use will be banned in upper secondary schools, except where a specific exemption applies.”

Smartphones will be banned in French upper secondary schools

Édouard Geffray said there would be no delay: the law will be published during the summer and will therefore take effect on 1 September. Every pupil in France will have to comply. While phones were already prohibited in lower secondary schools, each upper secondary school could previously decide its own rules through its internal regulations. That will no longer apply.

“I will shortly send a number of details to headteachers so that they can put this in place. I consider it absolutely vital for our pupils.”

A measure due to take effect on 1 September

The move is both swift and, according to the minister, important for pupils. By banning smartphones, France is formalising its campaign against teenagers’ exposure to screens, and even their potential addiction to them. The other major part of the plan, backed by Emmanuel Macron, is a ban on social media for under-15s. The draft law is being adopted and examined by the European Commission. It could be introduced in the coming months or in 2027. This week, the United Kingdom announced a comparable measure, following Australia’s lead.

Social media restrictions for under-15s

Banning social media and regulating smartphone use have become social issues-almost matters of civilisation-in response to foreign apps whose operation is raising increasing concerns. In January 2026, in a video sent to BFM TV, the President of the Republic said:

“The brains of our children and teenagers are not for sale; their emotions are not for sale or to be manipulated, neither by American platforms nor by Chinese algorithms.”

He added:

“We are banning social media for under-15s and we are going to ban mobile phones in upper secondary schools (…) I asked the government to begin the accelerated procedure so that this can go before the Senate (…) One of my commitments is for it to apply from the next school term.”

The promise has therefore been kept.